Sports in Las Vegas

Sports is the biggest category in the valley, and that is both the good news and the problem. With 850 options, it helps to answer three questions before you open a single page: team or individual, recreational or competitive, indoor or outdoor.

What runs in summer?

From May through September outdoor practice moves to early morning or after sunset. Gymnastics, martial arts, swimming and basketball run indoors year round, so they are the easy summer picks.

Where should I start a beginner?

Rec leagues through the city and county parks departments. They are the cheapest way to find out whether a kid likes a sport before a club asks for a season of your weekends. The soccer, basketball, baseball, swim lessons, gymnastics and martial arts guides each go deep on one sport.

What does it cost?

130 of the 850 are listed as free and 443 post a price range; ask about the rest. Ask whether it is a season or a monthly membership and what happens if you stop partway.

Where?

71 of these are in Summerlin alone; filter by your side of the valley first. My rule for kids under 8: one sport at a time, and let them quit at the end of a season without a speech.